Dispensing device for collapsible tubes



April 14, 1959 w. D. KIRKPATRICK ETAL 2,

7 DISPENSING DEVICE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Feb. 12, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet l v I '2 INVENTORS f y; WILLIAM D. KIRKPATRICK 1 ARTHUR L.NEWMAN I J91, WAMJWM/ w ATTORNEXS W. D. KIRKPATRICK ETAL DISPENSINGDEVICE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES April 14, 1959 mm 2 mmM H m) L m m 6 DR. mU s H M T I 2 M LA w, W

Y a B Filed Feb. 12, 1957 ATTORNEYS United States Patent DISPENSINGDEVICE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES William D. Kirkpatrick and Arthur L.Newman, Kelseyville, Califl, assignors of one-third to Benjamin C.Jones, Lakeport, Calif., and two-thirdsto Red Devil Tools, Union, N.J.,a corporation of New Jersey Application February 12, 1957, Serial No.639,750

8 Claims. (Cl. 222-102) This invention relates to a dispensing devicefor collapsible tubes, and particularly for such tubes as are now widelyemployed for containing the paint pigments to be added to basic paintsfor obtaining a paint having the desired color and shade or'tintthereof.

The dispensing of the paint pigments (which are usually in a liquidpaint medium of some kind) from collapsible walled tubes withoutcreating a damaging and unsightly mess is almost impossible where .anattempt is made to manually hold the tube; cut oif one end of the tube;and then manually squeeze the paint from the tube. Furthermore, such aprocedure fails to completely exhaust the tube.

The paint pigments in the tubes thereof that are provided for mixingwith a basic paint for producing the desired color and tint or shadethereof, are necessarily concentrated and intense and for that reasonare quite damaging to clothing and are very difficult to clean from thehands. Also asmall amount, such as the amount left in a partiallyexhausted tube, may be suificient to make a noticeable difference in thecolor of the final paint mixture.

Heretofore attempts have been made to provide devices for dispensingpaint from collapsible tubes. For the most part, these attempts havebeen directed to dispensing tooth paste or shaving cream from tubes thatare closed .at one end and that have an end wall at the opposite end,which end wall has a discharge nozzle through which the contents isejected. In paint tubes of the character intended to be used with thepresent invention, there is no discharge nozzle on an end wall since theentire end wall is removed. Thus any device providing a support for anozzle or for an end wall carrying such a nozzle, would defeat thepurpose of the present invention since such support would become smearedwith pigment, and such support would also interfere with the dischargeof paint from the tube.

Also, while there is no objection to a device that provides means forsqueezing the sides of the tube together after the end wall is removedso as to permit the paint to be ejected from the tube, it is verydesirable that the device be so constructed as to prevent any pressurebeing applied to the walls of the tube until after the end wall isremoved. This is accomplished in the present invention.

Heretofore manually actuatable squeezers have been developed that areintended to be held in the hand while the contents of a tube held by thedevice is being ejected. These have been found to be unsatisfactorysince they differ little from the older method of manually squeezing thecontents of a tube therefrom, and also any attempt to manuallymanipulate a tube While holding it in the hand requires a combination ofstrength and skill that is seldom found, and movement of the tube overthe paint can during ejection of the paint may result in some of thepaint smearing over the edges of the paint can.

One of the objects of the present invention is the proice vision of apaint ejecting device that will easily, safely and thoroughly ejectpaint from the tube, and which device supports the tube over the paintcan during ejection of paint from the tube.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a paint dispensingdevice that will firmly hold a tube of pigment during ejection of thepigment therefrom in a predetermined position over a stationary can, andwhich device as provided with tube squeezing means that immediately moveapart, and out of tube squeezing relation as soon as the force employedfor squeezing the sides of the tube together ceases.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tube squeezingdevice that is economical to make and to maintain.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the de scription and in thedrawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the device withthe side plate removed to show internal structure;

Fig. 2 is a reduced size side elevational view of the side plate for thehousing of Fig. l, as seen from the inside of said housing;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the tube clamp in open positionwith the position of the tube squeezing rollers indicated before beingmoved to tube engaging position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view as seen from line 77 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of the tube squeezing mechanism only (notincluding the tube holder), separate from the housing, the view beingbroken in length, and the tube squeezing rollers are shown in openposition;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to that of Fig. 8, except that the tubesqueezing rollers are together in tube squeezing position. The tube isshown in dot-dash lines;

Fig. 10 is a reduced side elevational view of the tube squeezer as seenfrom the side opposite to that of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view as seen from line 1111 of Fig. 8, showingthe base of the device.

In detail, the tube squeezing device illustrated in the drawingscomprises a base 1 having a vertical post or standard 2 rigid therewith,but removably secured thereto by any suitable means such as a set screwas indicated in Fig. l.

The base 1 is preferably of generally U-shape as seen in plan view fromabove (Fig. 11) so that the largest size can of paint ordinarily usedwill be adapted to fit between the sides 3 of the U, therebyautomatically centering such can below the tube. Screws or bolts 4 mayserve to secure the base to a table or the like. The post or standard 2extends upwardly from the closed side of the U and, as will later beexplained more in detail, the tube holder is offset laterally from thepost 2, as will later be described in detail, so that the pigmenttherein will be discharged into a can disposed between the sides of theU-base irrespective of whether the can is of the 5 gallon cylindricalsize or smaller.

Vertically adjustable on post 2 is a housing that is generallydesignated 5 (Fig. 10), and which housing forms the supporting frame forthe operating parts of the tube squeezer.

Said housing, or frame, is preferably formed in two parts, one partcomprising an open sided portion 6 (Fig. l) in which most of theoperating parts of the tube squeezer, except the squeezing roller andtube clamp, are

positioned, and the other part 7 being generally complementary to theportion 6 and being a closure plate.

The portion 6 comprises a vertically disposed generally rectangular,vertical plate 8, except for a lateral extension 9 and a laterallyprojecting flange 10 is integral therewith and projects to one sidethereof at its edges.

The top and bottom flanges on the lateral extension 9 are cut away as at11 (Fig. 1) to pass the vertical post 2 as seen in Fig. 1, and a springurged manually actuatable pin 12 (Fig. 10) is supported on the extension9 for yieldable movement into one of several openings 13 formed in post2 for supporting the portion 6 at different heights, as desired,according to the length of the tube being squeezed or the height of thecan into which the tube is being squeezed.

The vertical portion 14 of flange 10 (Fig. 1) that is at the edge ofplate 8 remote from the post, is preferably thickened and has a smoothvertical surface facing the post 2 to provide a bearing surface for partof the tube squeezing mechanism, and in spaced, opposed, parallelrelation thereto is a similar vertically extending rib 15 integral withthe plate 8 that also provides a smooth bearing surface for the otherside of said mechanism.

Between the rib 15 and the flange portion 14 is the lower flange 16, ofthe generally designated flange 10 that is around the edge of plate 8.This lower flange 16 is spaced at its ends from the lower ends of flangeportion 14 and rib 15, and the ends 17 of said flange portion 16 extenddownwardly and have vertical bearing surfaces on their sides that facethe lower ends of said portion 14 and rib 15.

Carried by flange 16 and projecting downwardly therefrom, is a tubeclamp generally designated 18 (Figs. 1, 6). One arm 19 of this tubeclamp is rigid with the flange 16, and consequently with the housing 5,said arm being formed at its lower end with a horizontally elongated jaw21, which jaw 21 projects slightly laterally from said arm and isadapted to engage aside of the flat closed end of a conventional tube 22(Fig. 9) when said closed end is uppermost with its open end directeddownwardly.

The arm 19 may be stamped from sheet metal so as to be of generallychannel shape with the sides 23 (Fig. 6) projecting laterally from theweb connecting them, the jaw 21 being a downward extension of said web.Thus the lower end edges 24 of the sides 23 will form a stop against theclosed flat end of the tube 22 will engage in positioning the tube inbetween the clamp to prevent the clamp from gripping the portion of thetube containing the pigment.

The other arm 26 of the tube holder or clamp is pivotally secured at itsupper end, as at 27 to the sides of the fixed arm 19 for swinging of thelower end of the arm 26 toward and away from the lower end of arm 19. Ajaw 28 corresponding to jaw 21 of arm 26 is on the lower end of arm 26,which jaw 28 projects toward the jaw 21 so that the closed end of thepaint tube may be clamped between the relatively thin edges of jaws 21,28 when arm 26 is moved toward the arm 19.

A quick actuating means for releasably locking the jaws 21, 28 intotight holding relation with the closed end of a tube is indicated at 29and comprises a bolt 31 connected to arm 19 and relatively looselyextending through arm 26 at a point spaced above jaws 21, 28 and belowpivot 27. A spring 33 reacting between the arms will yieldably hold themapart. A cam-like tightener 34 having a finger actuatable arm 35 rigidtherewith is pivotally secured to the outer end of the bolt 31 thatprojects from arm 26. This tightener has a low side and a high fiat side36 that successively engage arm 26 upon rotating the tightener about itspivotal bolt 31. When the low side is against arm 26 as seen in Fig. 6the jaws 21, 28 are spaced apart by spring 33 for receiving the closedend of a paint tube between them and upon giving the tightener a quarterof a turn the jaw 28 W11]. move toward jaw 21 for tightly gripping theflat connection with closed end of the paint tube between them and thehigh flat side 36 will engage arm 26 for holding the jaws together untilthe arm on the tightener is actuated to rotate the tightener back to thereleased position shown in Fig. 6. Thus there can be no slippage of thetube from between the jaws.

The remainder of tube 22 will depend vertically from the tube clamp 18when the tube is in a position held by the clamp, and said jaws 21, 28when they are in holding relation to the tube, will be preferablyexposed below housing or frame 5 so the operator can readily see them soas to quickly and accurately position the closed end of the tube betweensaid jaws.

Disposed at opposite sides of a vertical plane positioned between jaws21, 28 are horizontally extending parallel rollers 37 that are rotatableon shafts 38.

A pair of opposed members 39 (Figs. 5, 8, 9) extend across opposite endsof the rollers 37, and each member is formed with a pair of horizontalslots 40 through which the ends of shafts 38 extend. The said ends ofshafts 38 are movable longitudinally of slots 40.

Members 39 are rigid with the lower ends of a pair of verticallyextending flat bars 41 that are rigidly connected at their upper ends bya horizontally extending bar 42. Thus the vertical bars 41 and the bar42 form a carriage that carries the members 39 at its lower end.

At the outer sides of members 39 and adjacent thereto are rolleractuating elements 43, and these elements are carried on the lower endsof a pair of vertically extending flat bars 44 that are alongside thebars 41. Said bars 44 are connected at their upper ends by a horizontalbar 45 that is similar to bar 42.

These bars 42, 45 are preferably arranged with bar 42 above bar 45, andthe ends of bar 45 will extend slightly over the opposed sides of thevertical bars 41 in substantially sliding contact with the latter tostabilize the pairs of vertical bars 41, 44 during their relativereciprocable movement, as will later be described. The ends of the bar42 also slightly extend over the opposed inner sides of the verticalbars 44 when the assembly is in the position shown in Fig. 8.

The elements 43 are each formed with convergently upwardly extendingslots 46 through which the ends of the roller shafts 38 slidably extend.Thus the bars 44 and bar 45 form a carriage that supports the rolleractuating elements 43. When the carriage carrying said roller actuatingelements is moved upwardly relative to the rollers 37, the latter willbe moved apart and when the carriage carrying the roller actuatingelements 43 is moved downwardly relative to the rollers, the latter willbe moved together so as to tightly squeeze anything between them.

The two carriages above described, one carrying the rollers and theother carrying the roller actuating means (for moving the rollers towardand away from each other) cooperate, as will later be explained more indetail, for bodily carrying the rollers up and down, at which times thecarriages operate as a unit.

The flange portion 16 and the ribs 14, 15 in the housing portion 6 actas vertical slide bearings between which the two carriages are held andare vertically reciprocable. Said flange portion and rib therefore areslide guides for the carriages.

The back plate 8 will hold the bars 41, 44 against lateral movement frombetween flange portion 10 and rib 16, and will slidably support saidbars, while a similar but wider flange portion 47 in the cover plate 7(Fig. 2) and a wider rib 48, also in said plate 7 will extend over andsubstantially in sliding engagement with the sides of bars 41, 44 thatare opposite to plate 8 when the cover plate is in position, forretaining said bars against movement out of the near side of the housingportion as viewed in Fig. 1. The said cover portion 7 has an outlinecorresponding to that of the portion 6, and provision is made in theform of openings 32 in corresponding flanges in portions 6 and 7 for capscrews to releasably hold the cover plate against the portion 6, as seenin Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1, 8, a pair of rollers 49 extend over the uppercross bar 42 that connects the upper ends of the vertical bars 41, and asingle roller 50 is below said cross bar 42. These rollers are connectedat their ends by Opposed triangular plates 51 and are rotatably carriedby the latter, with the axle 52 of roller 50 projecting outwardly fromplates 51.

A pair of rollers 53 similar to rollers 49 across lower bar below thelatter, and a single roller 54 similar to roller is over the bar 45.These rollers 53, 54 are rotatably carried by and between a pair oftriangular plates 55 that are the same as plates 51 except their apicesare uppermost, while the apices of plates 51 are lowermost. The axle 56of the single roller 54 project outwardly of plates 55 and a pair ofparallel links 57 are pivotally connected at their ends with theprojecting ends of axles 52 and 56.

When the cross bars 42, 45 are at their closest position, as seen inFig. 1, the links 57 are horizontal and one of the correspondingangularly extending edges of plates 51 are parallel with and are almostin engagement with similarly extending edges of plates 55.

One of the links 57 that is nearest to the plate 8 is rigid with an arm58 that projects angularly upwardly as best seen in Fig. 1. In Figs. 8and 9 the arm 58 is indicated in dotted lines on the near side of themechanism, since the latter is turned around in these views to show theside of the mechanism that is opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. It isobvious that the arm 58 and the link 57 with which it is connected couldbe integrally formed so that the one end of the arm would form the link.

The outer or upper end of the arm 58 is pivotally connected by a pivot59 with one end of a relatively long arm 60 that extends angularlydownwardly toward post 2 to a position adjacent to said post where it isrigidly connected with one end of a relatively large diameter shaft 61(Fig. 1). This shaft 61 rotatably extends through a bearing 62 formed inthe portion 6 of the housing, and the shaft projects outwardly of saidhearing (which is a boss on the plate 8) for connection with one end ofan actuating arm 63 that extends upwardly across the outer side of thehousing to a point, preferably slightly beyond the edge of the housingthat is remote from the post 2.

A coil spring 64 within the housing connects the arm 60 with the portion8 of the housing for yieldably urging the arm upwardly to the positionshown in Fig. 1 at all times. This spring, of course, also urges the arm63, at all times, to the position shown in Fig. l.

Disposed between the opposed lower ends of the vertical pair of bars 41is a cylinder 65 (Fig. 4) rigidly connected to the portion 6 of thehousing. This cylinder has an expansion spring 66 therein reactingbetween one end of the cylinder and a brake element 67 that extends fromthe opposite open end of the cylinder into frictional engagement withone of the vertical bars 41, or the carriage that carries the rollersupporting members or plates 39 will always be in frictional engagementwith the brake.

In operation, the manually actuatable handle 63 when not being actuated,will be in its uppermost position as seen in Fig. 1, and when it is inthis position, the carriages that carry the roller supporting members 39and the roller actuating elements 43 will be in the position shown inFig. 8 in which the ends of roller shaft 38 are at the lower divergentends of the divergently downwardly inclined slots 46. Thus the rollers37 are at their maximum position apart and are at the opposite outersides of the pair of tube gripping jaws 21, 28.

The operator will first position the flat, closed end of a tube 22between the jaws 21, 28 and then will swing the handle 35 of the quickacting clamp actuating means downwardly, which will cause said closedend to be tightly and positively gripped between said jaws. The closedlower end of the tube will then be cut off or removed by any suitablemeans, there being a number of cutters designed for this purpose, and inthis connection it should be noted that the tubes holding the paintpigment do not have a nozzle or threaded removable cap, but have a solidflat circular head that is equal in diameter to the maximum diameter ofthe tube, and this entire head is cut 011 or partially cut from the bodyand peeled away, so that the pigment will not have to move through arestricted opening in being squeezed from the tube. This provision isnecessary since the formula for producing the desired shade or tint of acolor is based upon all of the pigment being squeezed from the tube, andthe tubes cannot be flattened to their open ends it a nozzle orrestricted opening is in the head and the head remains on the tube. Thesole support for the tube during the tube squeezing operation are theclamp 18 and the rollers 37.

The manually actuatable arm 63 is next swung downwardly by an operatorpositioned at the side of the device opposite to the post 2, and thismovement initially causes the carriage carrying the roller actuatingelements 43 to move downwardly, which movement, in turn, moves therollers toward each other. The rollers will engage the downwardlyconvergently oppositely outwardly facing sides of the jaws 21, 28 whichwill guide said rollers to the upper end of the tube directly adjacentto the jaws, and which end is flattened. Thus the complete discharge ofpigment from the tube is assured.

The angle of the slots 46, and the braking efiect of the brake 67 on thebars 41, are such that the downward movement of the roller actuatingelements will cause the rollers to be moved toward each other withsufficient force to tightly squeeze the opposite sides of the tubetogether, and when the movement of the rollers toward each other steps,the two carriages for the rollers and for the roller actuating elementswill move downwardly together as a unit so that the rollers will squeezeall of the contents of the tubes therefrom out of their lower open ends.The tube, as already mentioned, is held stationary at a predeterminedlevel above the paint can, by the tube clamp or holding device 18.

The movement of the crank arm 58 under the influence of the downwardmovement of the arm 60 is what causes the roller actuating elements 43to move downwardly relative to the roller carrying members 39, togetherwith the action of brake 67. The roller carrying plates 51, 55 arecaused to move apart when the connecting links 57 are pivoted throughthe rotation of the arm 58 and the links 57 cannot swing across centersince the rollers 37 would come together before this could occur.

If at any point in the downward movement of the rollers 37 the downwardforce on the manually actuatable arm 63 were relieved, the force ofspring 64 will move arm 63 upwardly and the rollers will move apartbefore the two carriages for the rollers and the roller actuatingdevices move upwardly as a unit.

This prevents any possible buckling of the flattened tube. Also shouldthe operator relieve the downward pressure on arm 63 momentarily thuscausing the rollers 37 to move apart, they will eventually be moved backinto tight engagement with the opposite sides of the tube as soon asdownward force on arm 63 is resumed.

A collar 78 (Fig. 10) may be adjustably secured to the stationaryprojecting boss or bearing 62 through which shaft 61 rotatably extends.Any suitable means, such as a set screw 71 may be used to secure thecollar to said boss in adjusted position, and said collar carries alaterally projecting stop 72 that is adapted to engage the arm 63 at thelower end of the stroke of the latter. By rotatably adjusting the collarthe point of engagement between the stop and the arm 63 can bedetermined, and the movement of the arm will thus be limited by thestop. This is desirable since different sized tubes may be used on thedevice, and the rollers 37 should not move past the lower end of thetube, although they should move to a point substantially at said lowerend. If they were to move past the lower end, some of the pigment fromthe tube would be deposited on them and they would have to be cleaned.

While the rollers 37, when moved into tight engagement with theflattened opposite sides of the tube will not move apart while thepigment is being discharged from the tube, should they encounter someincompressible projecting solid during their downward movement, theywill move apart before injury to the device, which is a desirablefeature. However, the operator usually is warned of any obstacle by theadded resistance to downward movement of arm 63.

After the tube has been emptied by operation of the squeezer, and therollers have been carried back to their uppermost position, a quarterturn of the quick acting tightener 34 will release the flattened tubefor removal from the tube squeezer.

Since the housing is flattened and lies in a plane parallel with theplane in which arm 63 moves, and since the post 2 and housing 5 and thepaint can into which the paint pigment is to be discharged all lie inthe same plane as the housing, the tube squeezer will occupy a minimumof usable space on a bench or table, and the operator will stand in thesame plane as the plane of the housing while operating the device. Forexample, were the handle to operate in a plane at right angles to thehousing, the device could not be placed at the end of a bench if therewere a wall at the end of the bench. Usually the space in stores is at'a premium, hence it is quite important that any pieces of equipment hecompact and adapted to operate in a limited space. The can into whichthe pigment is to be squeezed is usually wider than the overallthickness of the present tube squeezer in a direction at right angles tothe plane in which the housing is disposed.

In making the detailed description, it is our intention that the claimsshould cover all changes and modifications of the example of theinvention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure, which do notconstitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that isclosed at one end thereof and open at its other end comprising: a pairof spaced, opposed tube gripping means at least one of which is movabletoward the other to tube gripping relation with the closed end of suchtube and in which position the remainder of said tube projects from saidpair of tube gripping means, a pair of tube squeezing means movable totube squeezing position squeezing opposite walls of said remainder ofsaid tube flat together at a point adjacent to said tube gripping meanswhen the latter is in said tube gripping relation with a tube, a supportsupporting said pair of tube gripping means and said pair of tubesqueezing means for movement of one pair thereof relative to the otherin a direction toward and away from each other axially of a tube held bysaid pair of tube gripping means, means for holding said tube squeezingmeans in said tube squeezing position during such movement of said onepair away from said other pair, and means connected with said pair oftube squeezing means for moving them apart to an open position out oftube squeezing relation upon movement of said one pair toward said otherpair, and means operatively connecting one pair with the other pair forcausing said last mentioned movement.

2. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that isclosed at one end thereof and open at its other end comprising: a pairof spaced, opposed tube gripping means at least one of which is movabletoward the other to tube gripping relation with the closed end of suchtube and in which position the remainder of said tube projects from saidpair of tube gripping means, a pair of tube squeezing means movable totube squeezing position squeezing opposite walls of said remainder ofsaid tube flat together at a point adjacent to said tube gripping meanswhen the latter is in said tube gripping relation with a tube, a supportsupporting said pair of tube gripping means and said pair of tubesqueezing means for movement of one pair thereof relative to the otherin direction toward and away from each other axially of a tube held bysaid pair of tube gripping means, means for holding said tube squeezingmeans in said tube squeezing position during said movement of said onepair away from said other pair, and means connected with said pair oftube squeezing means for moving them apart to an open position out oftube squeezing relation upon movement of said one pair toward said otherpair, and means operatively connecting said one pair with said otherpair for causing said last mentioned movement, said support including avertical stand supporting said pair of tube gripping means in a positionfor downward projection therefrom of said remainder of tube grippedthereby.

3. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that isclosed at one end thereof and open at its other end comprising: a pairof spaced, opposed tube gripping means at least one of which is movabletoward the other to tube gripping relation with the closed end of suchtube and in which position the remainder of said tube projects from saidpair of tube gripping means, a pair of tube squeezing means movable totube squeezing position squeezing opposite walls of said remainder ofsaid tube flat together at a point adjacent to said tube gripping meanswhen the latter is in said tube gripping relation with a tube, a supportsupporting said pair of tube gripping means and said pair of tubesqueezing means for movement of one pair thereof relative to the otherin direction toward and away from each other axially of a tube held bysaid pair of tube gripping means, means for holding said tube squeezingmeans in said tube squeezing position during said movement of said onepair away from said other pair, and means connected with said pair oftube squeezing means for moving them apart to an open position out oftube squeezing relation upon movement of said one pair toward said otherpair, said support including a vertical stand supporting said pair oftube gripping means in a position for downward projection therefrom ofsaid remainder of the tube adapted to be gripped thereby, a manuallyactuatable lever pivotally connected at one end to said support fordownward swinging of the opposite end, said support further including avertically reciprocable carriage carrying said tube squeezing means andsupporting said pair of tube squeezing means for their said movementfrom said tube squeezing position to said open position and vice versa,and means connecting said lever with said carriage and with the saidmeans that is connected with said tube squeezing means for causingdownward movement of said carriage and for moving said tube squeezingmeans to said open position thereof upon downward swinging of saidlever.

4. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that isclosed at one end and open at the other end comprising: an upright standhaving a supporting base at its lower end, a tube gripping membercarried by said stand at one side thereof above said base for grippingthe closed end of such tube with the remainder of the latter dependingtherefrom, a pair of horizontal, parallel, opposed rollers, a carriagecarried by said stand supporting said rollers adjacent to said tubegripping member and at opposite sides of such tube adjacent to itsclosed end when said closed end is gripped by said member and when thesaid remainder is depending from the latter, said carriage includingroller carrying means supporting said rollers for relative movement froman open position spaced apart to a closed position adapted to tightlysqueeze opposite walls of such tube flat together when such tube isbetween said rollers and vice versa, oppositely movable roller actuatingmeans connected with said rollers for moving said rollers from said openposition to said closed position upon initial movement of said rolleractuating means in one direction, said carriage being verticallyreciprocable for bodily carrying said rollers downwardly relative tosaid tube gripping member, and means connecting said carriage with saidroller actuating means for so moving said rollers downwardly as a unitwith said carriage upon continued movement of said last mentioned meansin said one direction following said initial movement thereof, saidroller actuating means being connected with said rollers for moving themto said open position upon, movement of said roller actuating means inan opposite dircciton and being connected with said carriage for movingsaid rollers upwardly as a unit with said carriage upon movement of saidroller actuating means.

5. A tube squeezing device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walledtube that is closed at one end and open at its opposite end comprising:tube holding means movable into holding relation with said closed end ofa tube with the remainder of said tube suspended from said closed end, astationary support for supporting said tube holding means over a paintreceptacle adapted to receive paint squeezed from said tube, tubesqueezing means below said tube holding means movable into and out ofsqueezing relation with said tube at a point directly below said tubeholding means, a lever pivotally connected at one end with said supportfor downward swinging and means operatively connecting said tubesqueezing means with said lever for moving said tube squeezing meansdownwardly relative to a tube suspended from said support during saiddownward swinging and means actuated by said downward swinging of saidlever connected with said tube squeezing means for moving the latterinto tube squeezing relation during said downward swinging and downwardmovement of said tube squeezing means.

6. A tube squeezing device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walledtube that is closed at one end and open at its opposite end comprising:tube holding means movable into holding relation with said closed end ofa tube with the remainder of said tube suspended from said closed end, asupport for supporting said tube holding means over a paint receptacleadapted to receive paint squeezed from said tube, tube squeezing meansbelow said tube holding means movable into and out of squeezing relationWith said tube at a point directly below said tube holding means, alever pivotally connected at one end with said support for downwardswinging and means operatively connecting said tube squeezing means withsaid lever for moving said tube squeezing means downwardly relative to atube suspended from said support and means actuated by said downwardswinging of said lever connected with said tube squeezing means formoving the latter into tube squeezing relation during said downwardswinging and downward movement of said tube squeezing means, said lastmentioned means being actuated by upward swinging of said lever andconnected with said tube squeezing means for moving the latter apart andout of tube squeezing relation, and yieldable means connected with saidlever for yieldably swinging said lever upwardly upon release of saidlever after a downward swinging thereof for so moving said squeezingmeans apart and for moving said swinging means upwardly;

7. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that isclosed at one end thereof and open at its other end comprising: avertically extending post, a base secured to the lower end of said postfor supporting the latter on a table, a frame member supported on saidpost for vertical movement to different heights on said post, andcooperating means on said frame member and post for holding said framemember in adjusted position on said post, said frame member including aportion offset to one side of said post, a main carriage mounted on saidportion for vertical reciprocation, a pair of opposed, horizontal,parallel rollers supported on the lower end of said carriage forhorizontal movement toward and away from each other and for squeezingsuch tube between them when they are moved toward each other, anauxiliary carriage supported on said portion for vertical reciprocation,means connecting said auxiliary carriage with said rollers and with saidmain carriage for moving said rollers together and for moving said mainand said auxiliary carriage downward as a unit, a movable manuallyactuatable member on said portion, means connecting said member withsaid main carriage and with said auxiliary carriage for respectivelymoving the latter to move said rollers together and for moving said mainand said auxiliary. carriages downwardly as a unit, and tube clampingmeans stationary on said frame above said rollers for gripping theclosed end of a paint tube with the latter depending therefrom betweensaid rollers.

8. In a device for squeezing paint from a tube; a pair of horizontallyextending, opposed, horizontally spaced, clamping jaws, means supportingsaid jaws for movement toward each other to tube holding positionadapted to grip the closed end of such tube therebetween with theremainder of such tube depending from said jaws, the oppositelygenerally horizontally outwardly facing sides of said pair of jaws beinginclined toward each other in a downward direction toward the closed endof such tube when said end is gripped between said jaws, a pair ofhorizontally extending rollers respectively in a starting positionadjacent to said oppositely outwardly facing inclined sides of saidjaws, means supporting said rollers in said starting position and formovement toward each other into engagement with said inclined faces andfor movement downwardly against said sides into squeezing relation withsaid tube and downwardly along opposite sides of such tube in squeezingrelation thereto to the lower end of such tube when the latter has itsclosed end gripped between said jaws, means connected with said pair ofrollers for so moving the latter, and for moving said rollers upwardlyfrom the lower end of such tube to said starting position, and means formoving said rollers apart and out of squeez ing relation with such tubeduring movement thereof upwardly in direction toward said startingposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,548,587 Cadalzo Apr. 10, 1951 2,687,827 McGilchrist et al Aug. 31,1954 2,734,662 Shippen Feb. 14, 1956

